Original Big Band Sounds: 2nd Trombone Book

Hest's transcriptions preserve the authentic voice of each big band era, complete with improvised solos that capture the spontaneity of the original recordings. Second trombone players get genuine musical weight here, not padding; these parts interlock with the section and support the ensemble's foundation. The collection spans nine essential standards, giving you real repertoire options for a single purchase.

Swing-era energy meets precision orchestration. The second trombone part moves between supportive harmonic anchoring and active rhythmic counterpoint, creating the drive and texture that made these bands legendary. You're playing music that swings hard and sounds like the real thing because it is the real thing.

Intermediate to advanced jazz ensemble trombonists ready to play from authentic big band transcriptions. This book works for high school jazz bands, college ensembles, and community jazz groups seeking repertoire rooted in the genuine sound of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington.

• Study the recorded original before rehearsal. Hearing how the trombone section sits in the band's texture and balance will make the part's function immediately clear.
• Lock into the rhythm section's feel early. These arrangements depend on the low brass establishing the groove that everything else rides on.
• Voice the slides in your section as a unit. Matching attack and release with your first trombone creates the cohesion these classic recordings demand.
• Pay attention to dynamic range. Big band music lives in the spaces between forte hits; marking phrase shapes and softer passages will reveal the arrangement's sophistication.

Build an entire concert around these nine standards, or cherry-pick individual titles to pair with original compositions and arrangements from other eras. The collection works equally well as a semester-long big band curriculum, introducing students to foundational jazz ensemble writing while maintaining the historical accuracy and musicianship that professionals respect.

• Reading and executing authentic swing rhythms and phrasing conventions
• Balancing harmonic function with rhythmic momentum in a large ensemble
• Integrating transcribed solo passages into an ensemble context
• Section cohesion in the trombone section (third part voicing)
• Stylistic interpretation of big band articulation and dynamics